THE bottom power rating end of 4WD tractors is being seriously challenged by higher horsepower front-wheel assist tractors.
And leading the charge is the six model Fendt 900 Series with power ratings from 162kW (220hp) to 265kW (360hp).
AGCO says it's the industry's largest front-wheel assist tractor and arguably it also is the most flexible.
And it's this latter point that is seeing more farmers wanting to have a closer look.
Neridup, Esperance farmer Colin de Grussa is typical of many of his peers who have experienced capital outlay on articulated 4WD tractors that have limited application after the tillage season, simply because standard models don't have a PTO, front linkage or reversible console.
Reversible console?
Yes, you can convert your Fendt 900 Series to a swather, just as Colin has done with his 930 model, which has a power rating of 224kW (300hp).
It's his main tractor, which he bought in 2005 and with 4250 hours on the clock, it is still performing strongly.
He also has a Fendt 718 model (1200 hours) which develops 132kW (180hp) and is used mostly for spraying and chase duties at harvest.
While his previous 4WD articulated tractor proved a good workhorse at seeding "it wasn't the most useful tractor".
Similarly, when Colin assessed self-propelled swathers it quickly became apparent they were a limited task vehicle.
"With the PTO, front linkage and reversible console on the Fendt I could see plenty of options to use the tractor almost year-round," Colin said.
And the bonus has been the outstanding fuel consumption while getting all the power to the ground.
"At seeding, we generally work in the 1500 to 1800rpm range at 10km/h with a 12m (40ft) bar and we're only using between 28 to 30 litres of fuel an hour.
"We also get good fuel economy using the 718, which has averaged around 7.7 litres an hour since new."
In swather mode, Colin simply flicks a lever and the console swings around to face the rear of the tractor.
PTO and linkage are engaged on the swather front while front linkage carries a 1000 litre-capacity spray tank. A 10.9m (36ft) boom, matching the swather width, also is mounted across the front of the tractor to spray weeds during swathing.
But the increased practicality of the Fendt is almost paled by the engineering.
Fendt's Vario technology with step-less transmission provides optional speeds up
to 60km/h at 1950rpm and is the first system of its kind to integrate all work and control functions within one communication unit.
Everything the driver needs for fast and safe operations is logically arranged. All driving functions plus hydraulics and PTOs can be controlled with the joystick.
An addition is Vario TI (Teach In) which provides 16 sequences with up to 13 functions which can be stored for four implements.
And Fendt's Tractor Management System (TMS) means you only need to set the desired speed and allow the TMS to automatically find the optimum engine speed for the corresponding transmission ratio.
While doing so, the TMS takes the actual load as well as the acceleration rate you have chosen into account.
Together with the alternative of driving with the driving pedal, four different driving strategies are possible, involving the joystick and driving pedal.
Driving comfort is provided with front axle suspension with leveling control, cab suspension and shock load stabilising.
The Vario load-sensing hydraulic system is a highlight among hydraulic systems in terms of performance, efficiency and flexibility.
All hydraulic functions are simply and logically integrated on the operator's armrest via the joystick or cross-gate lever.
The Vario is fitted with double-acting control units that also can be used in a single-acting capacity and feature a floating position.
Prioritisation of auxiliary control units allows rapid response and short lifting times even at low engine speeds.
The optional front three point linkage and PTO adds even more flexibility for such operations as mowing at the front and raking at the rear.
